Saturday, September 14, 2013

Beardwood&Co. Helps Introduce Tea Connoisseur Brand

New York-based brand and innovation firm, Beardwood&Co., is helping Wissotzky Tea, a family-owned tea company since 1849; introduce its Signature line of teas into the US market this fall. According to The Tea Association of the USA, consumer interest in specialty teas is accelerating rapidly and supermarkets are devoting more shelf space to accommodate a more extensive array of products. Wissotzky Tea is the leading tea brand in Israel and is known for exceptional quality blends among tea connoisseurs worldwide.

Working in partnership with The Green Seed Group, a company that helps international food and beverage brands enter the US, Wissotzky identified a market opportunity between the premium and super premium segments: a tea more special for everyday use without being overpriced. According to David Cohen, General Manager, Wissotzky Tea USA, “Beardwood contributed their thinking and understanding of the category in the US, which was crucial to successfully translate and communicate our messages and values. They understood how consumers perceive the category and how to create differentiation from other brands.”

In the competitive tea section, Wissotzky Tea stands out with a sophisticated, simple design featuring an iconic teacup against an elegant black background. According to Sarah Williams, Partner/Creative Director, Beardwood&Co, “Unlike most tea brands that focus on tea ingredients or illustrations, the Signature collection has glamorous photography of the pyramid silk tea bags and an overhead view of the teacup to appeal to people on an emotional, visceral level. It’s a personal invitation to take time out and have an amazing cup of tea.” The black background is used as the unifying brand color while bright, color-coded lids create a billboard effect and identify the ten flavors. “We also adapted the logo for the US market by incorporating the family crest (a ship) within the gold-embossed logo and adding a signature of Klonimus Wissotzky, the company’s founder, to reinforce the brand’s heritage,” notes Williams. Beardwood used the back panel to further tell the Wissotzky family story.